Raki and Clare's New Friend
by NekoChan-1995
Summary: When Raki runs into a pretty girl and helps Clare save her from an angry village, what will happen next? Love and friendship, or jealousy and hatred?
1. Chapter 1

Raki didn't see the girl until she slammed into him. He he was somewhat amazed that the girl only came up to his chest.

"Please, you have to help me. They're after me." the girl begged.

"Um, Clare?" Raki called the claymore over before turning to the girl. "Who are after you?"

"The villagers. The yoma killed my mother and father. You have to help me." the girl clutched at his shirt. Raki's heart lurched when she looked up at him. Not only was she extremely beautiful, she had such a look of sadness in her eyes that it made him want to help her with a strange desperation. "Please. They have my brother."

"We'll help you." Clare nodded. "Raki, go speak to the villagers to see if they will give up her brother. I'll make sure she gets taken care of."

"Ok." Raki ran to the village they had killed a yoma in. He hadn't thought a bunch of farmers could be so cruel to a young girl and her brother, but then again, his own village had practically thrown him out.

"Hey, you! You were with the claymore!" one of the villagers shouted.

"Yes, I was. A young girl came up to us. The claymore says she is not a yoma and the young girl askes for her brother." Raki explained.

"She's not a yoma?"the villager asked. "Well, then yeah. Here he is, kid."

A young boy,no more than three or four was pushed forward. He had short blonde hair, which was somewhat disheveled, and big brown eyes.

"You take me to Kara?" the little boy asked, his lower lip quivering in fear.

"Yeah." Raki picked him up and walked to where he had left Clare and the girl.

"Zane!" the girl's big blue eys widened and she ran over to Raki, her blonde hair flying everywhere. She took her brother out of his arms and held him close. "Oh, Zane, I'm so glad you're safe." her gaze turned to Raki and she set down Zane. "Thank you so much." she flung herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You're welcome." Raki sighed. "What's your name?"

"Kara." the girl smiled at him. Raki had a feeling that although he liked Clare, this girl would be easy to fall in love with and would willingly fall in love with him. Not only that, but he could feel that she had long legs, plenty of womanly curves, and a decent-sized chest from the way she was hanging onto him. It made his mouth go dry, even when she untangled herself from him to hug Clare, who looked uncomfortable.

"Um, please don't." Clare told Zane when he wrapped his arms around her leg.

"Okay." Zane walked over to Raki and hugged his leg. "Thanks for savin me."

"You're welcome, kid." Raki grinned.

"Do you mind if we travel with you?" Kara asked. "Just until we find a place to stay?"

"Not at all. Can you cook?" Clare looked at her, as if assessing her for something.

"No." Kara shook her head. "Sorry."

"That's okay." Clare shrugged. "Come if you wish, but be careful."

"Thank you so much." Kara grinned. "Come on, Zane. Let's go with them."


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Raki woke up to a slight shove on his arm. He opened his eyes to see Kara's pretty face above his. She was close enough that he could lift his head slightly and kiss her if he so wished, which, if he admitted it to himself, he kind of did. She was really pretty. He could clearly see the interest in her big blue eyes and the tentative smile on her full lips.

"Clare told me to wake you. You slept in." Kara told him, her soft-as-ash voice sending his heart pounding.

"How late?" Raki hated how his words were slurred with exhaustion.

Kara chuckled. "Just an hour. Maybe two. It's okay. Zane's still asleep too." she leaned away and pointed to a spot near Raki's waist, where he saw the small boy fast asleep, his arm flung over Raki. "I think he likes you for saving him. The villagers really scared him."

"I can imagine." Raki nodded. "Where did Clare go?"

"I'm not sure. She did say she would be right back though." Kara frowned. "Why do you travel with Clare?"

"She took me in when my village was ready to kick me out. My brother was possessed by a yoma." Raki explained, then cursed himself when he saw the deep sorrow in her eyes. "Are you okay?" he put a hand on her thin shoulder, noticing for the first time that both she and Zane were both thin as if they were starving.

"My older sister, Sarah, was possessed by a yoma." Kara whispered. Raki realized how delicate Kara was, both emotionally and physically. "She got possessed by trying to protect Zane and I."

"I'm back." Clare walked back into the makeshift camp, a dead rabbit in each hand.

"Are you really that hungry, Clare?" Raki asked, surprised.

"I'm sure Kara and Zane are starving." Clare gave her faint smile. "Kara, how long has it been since you ate a decent meal?"

"N-never." Kara looked ravenous. "Can you really cook, Raki?"

"Yes." Raki didn't want to sit up, not wanting to disturb the little boy who was still attached to him. "I can."

"Zane, time to wake up." Kara woke up her brother, who immediately turned to her and wrapped his arms around her slim waist. Raki was almost jealous. He wanted to be able to wrap his arms around Kara too, to hold her close and protect her of course.

"How old are you?" he asked her.

Kara looked up at him and smiled. "Seventeen. I know I look younger, and Zane s much younger than I am, but I am seventeen. Zane was adopted, but he's still my family."

Raki, who had been traveling with Clare for many years now, was twenty. He suddenly saw a pair of strange shoes by the fire. They seemed to have a large heel on them. "Who's shoes are those?" he pointed to them.

"Mine." Kara blushed prettily. "I'm kind of short and they make me seem taller."

"You didn't look all that short yesterday." Raki frowned. Kara stood up, as well as Zane and Raki, and he saw that she was probably only five feet tall, where he had grown to six-foot-three since he met Clare. He also got a better look at her and noticed that her hair, which just seemed long before, reached her hips, though it was scraggly and didn't look all that clean. "Was your family poor?" he asked, gently. Kara just nodded. Raki brushed some of her hair back behind her ear and sighed. "My family was too." he told her. "Only they tried to hide it from me."

"There was no way to hide it from me." Kara whispered as her stomach growled.

Raki started a fire and took the rabbits from Clare, who had been watching the whole time. "What do you think of them?" he asked her.

"I like them." Clare whispered. "They're honest. I'm going to take her for a bath she still smells a little like yoma."

A few minutes later, Raki went looking for Kara and Zane by the river. He saw movement under the water and his first thought was that there was a mermaid. Then the figure broke the surface and he saw that it was Kara, her hair clean and her skin creamy and perfect. He was almost disappointed that he could only see her from the back, and she was in the water from the waist turned away when she started to turn and spoke. "Um, the rabbits are cooked for whenever you're ready."

Raki heard Kara's gasp. "I-I'll be there in a moment. You didn't see anything did you?" she demanded.

"No." Raki lied. He had seen the perfectness of her skin and the was her body curved so deliciously. He was actually starting to think he was perverted. How could he be thinking so much about her body? Then again, he had never seen anyone as perfect as her. She was beautiful, both inside and out. Something told him he was already more in love with her than he had thought he had been with Clare. She was so different, but at the same time possessed the same qualities of pureness and kindness.

"Raki and Kara, stay where you are!" Clare suddenly shouted. "There is a yoma!"

Raki immediately ran to her and saw the biggest yoma he had ever laid eyes on attacking Clare, Zane hiding nearby.


	3. Chapter 3

Raki raced towards Zane and picked the small boy up. He ran, with the boy in his arms, to Kara, who was now dressed, and handed him over.

"Where are you going?" Kara called out when he started to race back over to Clare to help her fight the yoma, as he usually did.

"To help Clare!" Raki shouted to her. Once he reached Clare, he grabbed his sword, which he had mastered I the past years and jumped into the fight with her.

"What are you doing?" Clare demanded as the yoma reared back to come forward in an attack Clare was barely able to block. "Go protect Kara and Zane. There might be more."

"No. I always fight with you." Raki growled as he sliced a shallow cut across the yoma's stomach.

"They need you a bit more than I do." Clare leapt above the yoma and sliced it's head in two, but it still kept coming.

"You know that only means one thing." Raki sighed.

"An awakened being." Clare went back onto the offensive, slashing away at the monster, until it lay in pieces. "I'm going to go wash up. You should check on Kara and Zane."

"Okay." Raki nodded and went back to where he had left them, finding Kara trying to comfort Zaane, who was crying. When she looked up and saw hm, she leapt to her feet and ran over to him to throw her arms around his neck. "What's wrong?" he asked as Kara started to sob.

"Why do you have to fight?" Kara asked, hanging onto him. "I thought you were going to die. Zane thought you did die. Why? Why fight?"

"I have to help Clare." Raki told her, wrapping his arms around her to comfort her.

"Where is she?" Kara suddenly pulled away. "Is she okay?"

"She's washing herself off." Raki told her, gently. He hadn't realized how attached Kara had become to him and Clare in such a short amount of time. "She got a lot of yoma blood on herself."

"So did you." Kara looked carefully at him. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm sure." Raki nodded. "I'll catch us another couple of rabbits." he tried not to notice how much prettier she was when there was no trace of dirt on her.

"What about the other ones?" Kara asked as Zane walked over and hugged Raki's leg.

"The whole camp is covered in yoma blood and pieces." Raki knelt down and picked up the small boy, already liking him as much as he was liked. "We can't go back to it." he explained. "Clare will meet us shortly."

"You smell icky." Zane frowned, his nose crinkled up cutely.

"It's true." Clare came up to them. "Raki, you and Zane both need to bathe. Kara, I'm going to go catch a rabbit while they do that. Di you know how to start a fire?"

Kara nodded and Raki took Zane to the river. As he got rid of his clothes, Zane did the same. However, when Raki waded into the river and started to clean himself, Zane didn't follow.

"What's wrong?" Raki asked the young boy.

"I can't swim." Zane squirmed.

"How do you normally get clean?" Raki asked.

"Kara holds me up." Zane whispered.

"Raki!" Kara suddenly ran over to them, and then blushed. "I'm sorry." she whispered, covering her eyes. Raki wondered how much she had seen. "I'll come back later."

"No, it's okay." Raki grinned. "What is it?"

"I can't start a fire. I don't know how." Kara blushed again. Raki got out of the river and pulled on his pants, which were the only article of clothing that didn't have any yoma blood on them."Um, Raki? Don't you need a shirt?" Kara was still blushing.

"I have a clean one in my pack." Raki smiled. He would bet his life Kara had never seen anyone, other than her brother, half-naked. Especially from the way she was staring. "I'll put it on as soon as I teach you how to start a fire."

"Well, um, can't you put it on first?" Kara asked. Raki felt a little deviousness rise up in himself. He was going to tease a girl for the first time in his life. Ans it was going to be a girl he was attracted to both physically and personality-wise.

"No. Maybe I won't even put it on at all." he chuckled, leaning in close to her. She really was the prettiest girl he had ever gotten to know, just a little bit. And she was so innocent too. It was cute. He had never thought he would find someone cute before, but there it was. Kara was cute.

"Oh, um, okay." Kara's blush deepened even more and Raki couldn't resist anymore. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. When he pulled away, Kara looked shocked. "Um, what was that for."

Raki grinned. She was just too cute. He was losing himself in the way she acted, so instead of answering her question, he leaned down and kissed her again, this time not so softly. He crushed his lips to hers and explored hers with his lips and tongue. She gasped in surprise and he took the opportunity to slip into her mouth and explore.

There was a sudden splash and Kara, who had started to lean into the kiss pulled away. "Zane she creamed and jumped into the river, where her little brother had fallen, to rescue him.


	4. Chapter 4

Raki watched as Kara pulled her brother out of the river and dried him off carefully. Her clothes clung to her curves, making the new deviousness in Raki come to the surface. As soon as Zane was dressed, Raki sent the little boy to Clare.

"I was taking care of him." Kara frowned.

"I'm not mad at him or you, but he ruined a moment back there." Raki growled, amazed that he could possibly be this way when it came to the sweet, gentle girl. The fact that she was sexy as hell to him had something to do with it, and her innocence had everything else to do with it. She was really just too perfect. Everything about her called Raki to her.

"What was going on, anyway?" Kara asked, blushing. "I've never been kissed like that before."

"You mean, nobody's ever kissed you?" Raki asked her, shocked with the news.

"I've been kissed. I had a boyfriend, but we didn't really do much. He only kissed me once before the yoma came ad killed my family." Kara's eyes filled with sadness. "It's still hard to believe my entire village would shun me and try to kill me. We all got along really well."

"I could see that." Raki snapped.

"What about your village? Didn't they shun you?" Kara asked, her eyes filled with concern.

"Yes, they did." Raki sighed. "But, they didn't try to kill me. They just ignored me. I ran off to find Clare a little while afterward. She was everything I wanted to be and I thought I was in love with her." he saw the Kara frown, obviously distressed by what he was saying. "I'm not, though. I realized that when I met you. I've only known you for a day, and I already like you so much."

Kara chuckled nervously. "That can't be true."

"But, it is true." Raki walked over to her and crushed his lips against hers. She melted against him for the first time, and he settled his hands at her waist, not wanting to frighten her by exploring her body with them. She reached up on tiptoe to wrap her arms around his neck and he picked her up, so that she could wrap her legs around his waist, which she did.

"I've never felt this way before." Kara admitted, pulling away slightly when they both had to breathe. "Is it normal?"

"If you like me it is." Raki whispered, kissing her softly. "Do you like me?"

"I can't not like you." Kara leaned her head against his shoulder. "You're kind and you like Zane as much as he likes you. I just wish you didn't make my heart pound so loud it feels like it will burst out of my chest. It hurts so much I can't breathe when I look at you sometimes."

"Those are all good things." Raki kissed her again, and she sighed against him. He gently touched his tongue to the sea of her lips, and they parted instantly to let him in. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and tangled it with hers. She started to kiss him back, tentatively at first, then a little bit more passionately, enough to match Raki's passion.

"Ahem." there was the noise of someone clearing their throat behind them. Raki pulled away from Kara and she unwrapped her legs and slid down his body, until she was standing on her own feet again. They both turned to the side and saw Clare, Zane attached to her leg. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but how do I un-attach the child?"

"Zane, come here." Kara crouched and opened her arms for the little boy to come to her.

"Nuh-uh." Zane shook his head. "Clare."

"I can't help you." Kara stood up. "He doesn't want to come to me."

Raki frowned. "Zane, don't you want to hug Kara, like me?" he wrapped his arms around Kara, still watching Zane.

"Uh-huh." Zane nodded and raced over to hug Kara's leg.

Raki let go and noticed a strange look on Clare's face. "What is it?" he asked her.

"Nothing." Clare shook her head. "I need to talk to you, Raki. In private."

"Okay." Raki and Clare walked far enough that they could see Kara and Zane playing together, but couldn't be heard.

"Do you like her?" Clare asked. "Because, if you do, you should stay with her when we reach the next town and raise a family."

"I do like her, but as far asi can tell, she's not going to abandon you, and neither am I." Rali shook his head. "Clare, you're like an older sister to me, I'm not about to let you go off and fight yoma all by yourself."

"She needs a settlement of some sort." Clare sighed. "I can't settle down or the organization will find me. I still fight the yoma, but not with them. I won't let that little boy get hurt, or Kara. They don't deserve it, and neither do you."

"Clare, please. Let us stay with you. We can manage without a town if Kara and I manage to fall in love. We can thrive." Raki was close to begging.

"You deserve a normal life." Clare sighed.

"I have one. It's normal for me." Raki frowned. "We're staying with you and that's final."


	5. Chapter 5

Two months went by and it was official. Raki was desperately in love with Kara. He'd known it was bound to happen, but it still surprised him when he realized it one night at dinner. Kara had just been helping her brother cut into his meat when it had suddenly hit him. She was the woman he could spend the rest of his life with he could see himself having a family with her and it shocked him even more. He had never wanted to have a child before, but something about her screamed family to him and he knew he would want a child as long as it was with Kara.

"You love her." Clare suddenly brought Raki out of his thoughts. "Why don't you tell her?"

"It's not that easy." Raki shrugged. "What if she doesn't love me back? What if she doesn't want the same things I want? What if she wants to leave me?"

"Those are risks you have to take." Clare shrugged. "Just tell her."

Raki looked over to Kara, who was laughing with Zane, her eyes sparkling. He suddenly felt the need to tell her, so he walked up to her. She smiled up at him, her eyes still twinkling.

"Is there something you need?" she asked.

"I need to tell you something." Raki began, unsure of a way to say it delicately.

"What is it?" Kara's face fell, as if she thought he was going to leave her.

"I may have fallen quite desperately in love with you." Raki ran a hand through his hair, waiting for her response, which was a bright smile.

"I love you, too." Kara whispered.

"Would you like to start a family with me?" Raki asked, knowing he had to get that out of the way. If she didn't want the same things he did, he would be heartbroken. However, she was suddenly kissing him, her arms wrapped around his neck as she stood on her tiptoes. She was so feminine, compared to him. And she was all soft and womanly. "Is that a yes?" he teased her when she pulled away.

"Yes." Kara's eyes shone with tears. "But there's something you have to know about me first."

"What is it?" Raki kissed her forehead gently, knowing he would listen and accept anything she told him.

"Zane isn't my brother." Kara whispered.

"I know. You said he was adopted." Raki was confused.

"You don't understand." Kara shook her head. "He's my son."

"What?" Raki was dumbfounded. He never, in all the time they had spent together, thought for even a moment that Kara was anything but Zane's sister. Then it hit him. She acted more motherly towards him than sisterly. "How?"

"I was raped by someone. I don't know who. I had Zane in secret and my parents said they would pretend Zane was their adopted son, even though Zane knows I'm his real mother. He only calls me Kara in public. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you before." tears started to flow down Kara's cheeks.

"It's okay." Raki murmured, wrapping his arms around her. It all made sense to him and he accepted what he told her easily, but he still wanted to destroy whoever had raped her.

"You mean you don't care?" Kara asked clutching at his shirt.

"Not at all. It all makes sense now. I wondered for a little while how he could look so much like you, and just be your adopted brother. I want to kill whoever hurt you, but I don't care that you were raped. You're still perfect to me." Raki told her, gently. Her fragility made perfect sense to him now. She was still recovering, even though it had been years. "Do you mind if I talk to Zane in private for a minute?"

"Not at all." Kara whispered. "Just, don't tell him about the rape."

"I wasn't planning on it." Raki kissed her gently and scooped Zane up in his arms. "Come on, big man,we need to have a talk."

"Kay!" Zane waved to Kara happily as Raki carried him away.

"I know all about Kara being your mom." Raki told the little boy.

"Shhhhhh. Grandma said it's a secret." Zane whispered.

"Not anymore." Raki shook his head. "You can tell anyone you want to that she's your mom."

"Really?" Zane's eyes lit up, then he frowned. "Do you love my Momma? Are you going to be my Daddy?"

"Yes, yes and if you want me to be." Raki smiled, knowing he had grown to love the three year old, who looked older than his age.

"I like you. I want you to be my Daddy." Zane hugged him.

"Alright then. I'm your new dad." Raki grinned.

Kara suddenly stepped out of the trees, tears shining in her eyes again. "Sorry. I was eavesdropping. Raki, you don't know what this means to me."

"Kara, I just want the three of us to be happy." Raki told her. "I'm thrilled to be declared Zane's-"

"Momma, guess what! My new daddy says I don't have to keep it a secret anymore!" Zane interrupted. "Is it okay if I call him Daddy all the time now?"

"Yes." the tears in Kara's eyes spilled over and she leaned her head against Raki's chest. "I don't know how long it's been since I've seen him so happy." she admitted.

"We'll all be happy together." Raki promised her. "We just need to tell Clare now."


	6. Chapter 6

Raki walked up to Clare. He wondered what she might thin of what was going on between him and Kara. After the day two months ago, when she had told him to settle down, she hadn't mentioned anything about it. They were back to having the same relationship they had always had, before Kara and Zane had shown up. It was comforting, but at the same time, something had changed between them. It wasn't a comfortable silence anymore, it was filled with tension. Raki knew Clare was upset about something, he just couldn't figure out what. Mustering his courage, he finally said what he had wanted to say since that one night by the fire when he knew he was in love with Kara.

"Clare, I'm in love with Kara." he said it really fast.

"I know." Clare gave him her usual look of calmness. "Does she love you back?"

"Yes." Raki nodded. "We're going to start a family."

"That's good." Clare nodded, looking as if she thought Raki was going to leave her to fight yoma on her own, which he would never do.

"I'm not going to leave you. I actually would like you to know I hope you'll be there along the way." Raki told her. "And before I forget to tell you, Zane is actually Kara's son."

"I know." Clare gave a faint smile. "I'm surprised it took you so long to find out. He doesn't love her like he would a sister and he calls her Momma at night. It's kind of obvious."

"Well, he's going to call her Momma all the time now and he's going to call me Daddy." Raki smiled. "I'm so happy with her."

"You should still settle down in a village, but I don't mind if your family travels with me. I wouldn't mind seeing a baby you and Kara will make together." Clare smiled, a rare expression.

"I can't wait. And I'm so happy Zane already loves me. It actually just hit me how much I love him." Raki grinned. "I should get back to them."

"Good luck." Clare sighed. "It's the only time I'll ever say it, so make sure you appreciate it."

"Thanks." Raki put a hand on her shoulder. "Do you mind watching Zane tonight? I want to take Kara to a special place I found a little while ago."

"Not at all." Clare waved him off. "Go."

* * *

><p><strong>I know it's short, but more is coming up later! The next chapter will be the last, and then a sequel. I have huge plans.<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

Raki led Kara to a cave he had found. The inside was filled with sparkling crystals, that glowed as he started a fire. He couldn't help but to look at the beautiful girl standing in front of him.

"You know how we get married, right?" he asked her, standing up and pulling Kara to his chest. She let her head rest right at his heart.

"Yes." Kara whispered, leaning into him completely. "I know."

"You aren't scared are you?" Raki wrapped his arms around her and she melted into him. He reveled in the complete trust she had for him.

Kara looked up at him, her eyes shining with love. "Raki, as long as it's with you, I'm not scared. I love you."

"I love you too." Raki murmured, and kissed her slow and deep. She melted against him even more and Raki knew if he were to move his arms away, Kara would fall to the ground. He had kissed her to fainting once before and everything about it had been magical.

"Raki, if we don't hurry, I'm going to explode." Kara whispered.

"We're going nice and slow." Raki slowly laid her on the bedroll he had prepared earlier.

"Raki, I don't think I can handle it slow." Kara murmured.

"You can." Raki started to kiss his way from her shoulder to her collar bone before stripping off the shirt she wore. He marveled at her beauty, from her creamy white skin, to the faint blush that tinged it. "You're so beautiful." he whispered before ravishing her delicious breasts.

"Raki!" Kara arched into him, moaning. "Hurry up."

"No." Raki whispered and started to remove her skirt slowly, kissing his way down her body, all the way to her feet. He worked his way back up, kissing her everywhere, memorizing every inch of her creamy skin.

"Raki, please!" Kara begged.

"What do you want?" Raki stroked her most intimate spot and she writhed against him, tearing at his clothing.

"You. I want you." Kara tore his shirt to shreds with her fingers.

"I know." Raki rid himself of his pants, but before he eased into her, he paused. "Kara, do you really want to have a family with me? Do you want a baby with me?"

Love shown in Kara's eyes. "Raki, I want everything we can possibly have together, especially a baby. I think Zane would like a little brother or sister, and I want another baby. This time to raise with you."

"I love you." Raki whispered, easing into her. Kara gasped with pleasure and started to moan as he began to move within her. She reached her climax soon and all of her muscles clamped around him and he reached his own climax.

When Raki and Kara walked back to camp later, Zane ran up and hugged Kara's leg. "Mama, where were you? Why couldn't I watch you marry my new Daddy?"

"I'll tell you all about it when you're older." Kara promised, smiling.

"I take it things went well." Clare walked up to them.

"Yes, yes they did." Raki smiled and put an arm around Kara's waist. She snuggled into him.

"Raki, I'm sleepy." Kara whispered.

"Alright." Raki set up his spare bedroll, they had left the other one in the woods, and curled up on it, Kara safe in his arms.


End file.
